With the deadline to sign drafted prospects from the 2009 class (well, ones that fall under certain prospect guidelines) the Maple Leafs let defender Barron Smith and German forward Jerome Flaake become free-agent prospects.
Well, in Smith's case he's not 'free' he goes back into the draft, but with only 80 something' games played in the OHL over the last few years he's going to pass through. Smith was a 7th round selection in 2009
Flaake (5th round, 2008) showed flashes of promise, but never really was able to take his offensive game to the next level in Germany. There was a point where he could have crossed over to play major junior (WHL), but stuck it out in Germany. Had he made the transition, who knows what would have happened with his development. He did look good, in my opinion, on the international stage with Germany at the U20's.
And there's one more bit of prospect news, Ben Winnett (4th round 2007). The forward from the University of Michigan will also not be getting a contract. His rights expire in August, and he's been a pretty big bust since joining the Wolverines.
Good news in this for me is that I don't have to do mundane right ups about these players anymore. I cringed every time I had to write about Barron Smith in a prospect update.
None of these players, at this point (and likely ever) are huge loses for the Maple Leafs. Good luck to them in the future.
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